Reversing gear for reciprocating engines with hydraulically-operated valves



1930 H.'MIMEIER MATTERN, JR I 1 7 3 474 REVER SJ 'NG GEKR FOR RECIPROCA TING ENGINES WITH 'H'YDRAULICALLY OPERATED VALVES Fi1ed Dec. 30, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Hm/Vl/Ma fil'cr'u J7 CRANK CIRCLE EGGENTRIC CIRCLE.

, ATTORNEYS REVERSE H. M3 MEIER, MATTERN, J 474 June 10, 1930.

REVERSING GEAR FOR HECIPROCA'I'ING suemns WITH HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED VALVES Filed Dec. 30, 1.926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Plsron ,s momz II Fi 4 Thoma nc'nvr. PISTON a AHtRJ! [/7 1137 In In srmms. Piston I y I 12 D /7 l6 navznsr. v

C uman I ACTIVE Pls'ron i INVENTORY Cn uunen II Jmonuevs Patented June 10, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEINRICH. MAURITfi MEIER MATTERN, JR., HILVEBSTIM, NETHERLANDS Application filed December 30, 1926, Serial No. 158,087, and in the Netherlands December 31, 1925.

The invention relates to reversing gear for a reciprocating engine with hydraulically.- operated valves.

In order to enable valves to be actuated ,5 mechanicallyin both directions of rotation, it is usual to employ a link (with block), or adjustable cams are provided, or theengine is run in one direction of rotation throughout, and a reversing clutch is used. These auxiliaries may also beemployed for reversing the engine when hydraulically-operated valves are used. The equipment will, however, be far simpler, cheaper and easier to manage when a reversing gear according to the present invention is provided.

According to the invention, reversing the engine is effected by altering the admission and discharge of the fluid to and from the pistons which are coupled to the valves of .20 the engine,,and by altering the setting of one or more cocks or other control devices provided for that purpose in the corresponding pipes for the liquid. Enginesintended to run in two directionsof rotation are preferably provided with several cylinders, for example, in the case of locomotives, marine engines, Diesel engines, motor-car engines, and so forth. The cranks belongingto these cylinders are offset at a certain angle. The valves belonging to these cylinders must, in general, be opened when the cranks are near their dead centers. For this purpose it is necessary that the actuating eccentric or cam, from which the actuating piston receives its motion, should have a certain angle of lead in relation to the corresponding crank. According to the invention, this angle of lead can be soadjusted, that its angle of lag in relation to another crank is-so large, in for- Ward running, as to form a suitable angle of lead fortheilast-named crank when runnlng ingreverse. Care is also taken that the fluid supplied to the valves of the cylinder belonging to the first crank by the piston which is actuated by the eccentric in forward running can be admitted for running in rever'se,.to the valves ofithe cylinderibelonging to the second crank,by altering the setting of a tap, slide or similar device. The-effect .50 of this. is that the movement of the valves,

is effected at the correct moments for forward andreverse running. If, in place of an actuating piston and a coacting actuated control piston, a control slide is employed, then, according as this has an inneror outer lap, the foregoing will apply as regards the angle of lead. or lag. By altering the setting of one or more cocksorslides, orby opening and closing valves, the direction of rotation ofthe engine can then be reversed.

Accordin to the invention, in the case of multi-cylinc erengines, as many .eccentrics can be provided as there are cranks .(or suitably arranged, .or offset at 180 sets), in which event a single piston, actuated by an eccentric or the like, is so connectedthat, in forward running, its movement is transmitted by the liquid to. one or more valves on the crank side (or coverside) of thecylinder or cylinders adapted for forward running.

For running in reverse, the connection is modified, by .alteringthe setting ,of one or morecocks in the-pipe containing the liquid sothat the movement ofthe actuating piston isnow transmitted to one or more valvesaon thecrankiside (or cover side), or on the cover side (or crank side) of thecylinderor cylinders adapted for running in reverse.

Moreover, according to the invention, ,a single actuating piston,yactuatedby the first eccentric, canserve, ,for forward running, a valve, onthe crank side (or coverside) of thecylinderyand, for running in reverse, a valve on the cover .side (-crankwside) .of

another cylinder; whilst another actuating piston, actuatedby asecond eccentric, serves,

when running in reverse, valves-onthe same SlClGlbUt; on different cylinders.

The inventionalso relates to anarrangeinent for single-cylinder engines, which is characterized-by two actuating pistons, actuated by eccentrics or similar means, one of which pistons has aleadsuitable for forward running, the other for running in reverse, and the arrangement of the connections is such that, inall cases, the piston which is not adapted for the directionofrotation for thetime being is.carriedaround idly.

The cooks, .for establishing,the-necessary connections, of. the pipes containing-the liquid may, according to the lnvention, be coupled together; and the necessary connections may also be effected by a single member.

In applying the invention, the movement of the actuating piston can also be effected by parts other than eccentrics or cams: for instance, by the piston rods or driving rods, without departing from the principle of the invention.

Typical embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a diagram of the application of the invention to an engine with two actuating pistons for the hydraulic valve gear.

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the relative position of the cranks and eccentrics for the engine I diagrammatically represented 'in Fig. 5. v

Fig. 3 is a diagram for the same engine, in which all the cranks are shown in the relative position of crank I. V

Fig. 4 is a diagram of the connections for the same engine, and shows how the cylinders of the actuating pistons must be connected with the valves of theengine for forward and reverse running.

Fig. 5 shows the complete arrangement for an engine with two cylinders I and II.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 1, two actuating pistons 21 and 22 are present, which work in cylinders 23 and 24 and are actuated by means of the piston rods 25 and 26, for example from eccentrics on the main shaft. The cylinder spaces 27 and 28 above the actuating pistons, the pipes'29 and 30, the space in the cook 31, the pipes 32 and and the cylinder spaces 34and 35, in the cylinders 36 .and 37 below the pistons 38 and 39, are all filled with liquid. The pistons 38 and 39 are connected with the valves 42 and 43 by means of the rods 40 and 41. Accordingly, when the pistons 21 and 22 move, the pistons 38 and 39 and with them the valves connected there-' with, will follow that movement. The springs 44 and 45 above the pistons maintain constant contact between the pistons and the liquid. If now, the valve 42 belongs to the first engine cylinder and the valve 43 to the second engine'cylinder and the piston 21 is actuated by an eccentric on the main shaft with a lead of 45 in relation to the crank of the first engine cylinder; and the piston 22 is actuated by an eccentric with a lead of 45 in relation' to the crank of the second engine cylinder; then, with the cook 31 in the position shown, the actuating piston 21 will serve (control) a valve belonging to the first engine cylinder, and the piston 22 a valve belonging to the second engine cylinder; and the enginewill accordingly run in the forward direction of ro-.

tation. If now, the cook 31 be turned through 90 in a clockwise direction, the piston 21 will control the valve 43, and therefore the second engine cylinder and the piston 22 will control the valve 42 and therefore the first engine cylinder. Since the eccentrics have a the cranks are turned back into the position of crank I. If now, the crank and cover sides of the engine cylinder and the valve-gear cylinder of the actuating piston be indicated, in the usual manner, by A and D, then 1 (valvegear cylinder of the actuating piston I, crank side) must control the valve of I (engine cylinder I, cover side) for forward running; and the valve II (engine cylinder 2, crank side) for running in reverse. From this, the diagram of connections shown in Fig. 4 can be established; and it is thus evident how the valve-gear cylinders with the actuating pistons and the engine valves must be connected together for forward and reverse running in order to obtain proper control. The continuous lines represent the connection for forward running, and the brokenlines relate to the connection for running in reverse. The actuating pistons are markedl and 2 respectively, and the valves I and'II. Thus, for example, I (actuating valve-gear piston 1, cover side of the engine cylinder) controls I (valve of engine cylinder I, crank side) for forward running, and II (valve of engine cylinder II, cover side) for running in reverse.

Fig. 5 shows the whole arrangement diagrammatically. I and II are the engine cyl-' inders, the valves of which on the crank and cover sides are actuated by the valve-gear pistons 1 and 2, these being in turn actuated by the corresponding eccentrics on the main shaft. From each end of the cylinders of the valve-gear pistons, a pipe leads to a cock, by means of which said pipe can be placed in communication either with a pipe leading to a valve of the engine cylinder I, or with a pipe leadingto a valve of the engine cylinder II. These cocks are coupled together and turned in common. With the cocks in the position shown, the engine runs in the forward direction; but when the cooks are turned through 90 clock-wise, the engine runs in reverse. From Fig. 4 it follows that, with the cock in the position shown (for forward running), I controlsthe valve I and the valve II for running in reverse (that is, after siderab'le. Hence the application of the invention reduces the cost of maintenance, and failures in the distribution of the steam, or in the valve-gear, through wear, are obviated. Instead of the two eccentrics needed for link gear, only one is required, and this may also be considerably smaller. The management of the engine is greatly facilitated, only a small exertion of force being needed to turn the cock, and reversing is, therefore, effected in shorter time. This is a particularly important point in the case of large engine plants,

"such as marine engines, for which it is even necessary to employ special auxiliary engines for reversing the link gear. The force needed for turning the cock being very small, the operation can always be performed by hand, and therefore any reversing engine (such as used in marine engines) is superfiuous. The rods for setting the cock may be of very light construction. In consequence of the abolition of the link gear and its considerable friction, the useful mechanical effect of the whole engine can be increased.

What I claim is:

1. A reversing gear for reciprocating engines comprising a plurality of cylinders, pistons mounted for reciprocation in the cylinders and adapted to be periodically actuated, a second group oi cylinders, conduits for connecting said cylinders, a valve for controlling communication between the first mentioned cylinders and the second mentioned cylinders, and adapted to be manually operated, pistons movable in the second group of cylinders, valves connected with the pistons, the first mentioned cylinders and the second mentioned cylinders and conduits being filled with the liquid whereby actuation of the pistons in one direction in the first mentioned cylinders will cause actuation of a piston in the second group of cvlinders for operating the valves.

2. A reversing gear for reciprocating engines comprising a plurality of cylinders, pistons mounted for reciprocation in the cylinders and adapted to be periodically actuated, a second group of cylinders, conduits for connecting said cylinders, a valve for controlling communication between the first mentioned cylinders and the second mentioned cylinders, and adapted to be manually operated, pistons movable in the second group of cylinders, valves connected with the pistons, the first mentioned cylinders and the second mentioned cylinders and conduits being filled with the liquid whereby actuation of the pistons in one direction in the first mentioned cylinders will cause actuation of a piston in the second group or cylinders for operating the valves, a shaft and cams for causing actuation of the first group of pistons.

3. A reversing gear for reciprocating engines comprising a plurality of cylinders, pistons mounted for reciprocation in the cyl inders and adapted to be periodically actuated, a second group of cylinders, conduits for connecting said cylinders, a valve for controlling communication between the first mentioned cylinders and the second mentioned cylinders, and adapted to be manually operated, pistons movable in the second group of cylinders, valves connected with the pistons, the first mentioned cylinders and the second mentioned cylinders and conduits being filled with the liquid whereby actuation of the pistons in one direction in the first mentioned cylinders will cause actuation of a piston in the second group oi cylinders for operating the valves, a shaft and cams for causing actuation of the first group of pistons, the controlling valve in the conduits for causing a reversal of the flow of liquid from one of the first mentioned cylinders to the second mentioned cylinder whereby an engine to which the valves are attached will be reversed in its movement.

l. A reversing gear for reciprocating engines comprising a plurality of cylinders, pistons mounted for reciprocation in the cyl inders and adapted to be periodically actuated, a second group of cylinders, conduits for connecting said cylinders, a valve for controlling communication between the first mentioned cylinders and the second mentioned cylinders, and adapted to be manually operated, pistons movable in the second group of cylinders, valves connected with the pistons, the first mentioned cylinders and the second mentioned cylinders and conduits being filled with the liquid whereby actuation of the pistons in one direction in the first mentioned cylinders will cause actuation of a pis ton in the second group of cylinders for operating the valves, a shaft and cams tor causing actuation of the first group of pistons, the construction being such that one of the second group of pistons being actuated by a cam for controlling one of the piston operated valves during forward running but controlling one of the piston operated valves of another cylinder for running in reverse.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

HEINRICH MAURITS MEIER MATTERN, Junior. 

